Axelrod: ‘The president won an overwhelming mandate on raising taxes’

The president and his administration are apparently living in a world of their own choosing and devoid of reality.

On Sunday, senior Obama campaign advisor David Axelrod appeared on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” and said that with last week’s election, the president won an overwhelming mandate on raising taxes.

A Rasmussen poll released Monday directly contradicts this assertion. I states in part:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 60% of Likely Voters believe the government should extend the variety of tax cuts, including those implemented during the George W. Bush administration, past the end of the year. Just 28% believe Congress and the president should let those tax cuts expire. Another 12% are undecided.

The president has stated for years that he seeks what he calls a “balanced approached” to deficit reduction through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases on the wealthy.

Yet history has shown that although this approach may work in a vibrant economy, it doesn’t work when the economy is stagnant. In such times, it’s better to increase tax revenue by stimulating growth.

If the above poll is any indication, not only do the majority of American people disagree with the president on this issue, but they also understand this basic economic principle.